This June, we celebrate Pride Month and the diverse identities of alumni identifying as LGBTQ+. Three College of Arts and Sciences alumni — Whitney Donielson, English, '11; Kevin Thomas, biology, '85; and Morgan Thomas, creative writing, '16— are featured in the UO Alumni Association's Shout publication.

During the past six months, College of Arts and Sciences stakeholders have built a roadmap to guide the college over the next five years. Our new strategy was born from feedback and support from the college's community—including alumni, campus leaders, faculty, staff, and undergrad and graduate students. Read more how members of the CAS community had the chance to help shape the strategy during two CAS Community Conversations in April 2024.

ENGLISH, FOLKLORE AND PUBLIC CULTURE - While running cross country in high school, Daniel Wojcik had the opportunity to run with UO track legend Steve Prefontaine. Now an English and folklore studies professor, he explores the enduring lore and traditions surrounding the record-breaking athlete who helped establish Eugene as Track Town USA.

High school students from all over Oregon traveled in flocks to the University of Oregon for Foreign Language and International Studies Day. The annual celebration, held in May, provides approximately 1,000 students with an immersive experience in cultures and languages of the world, and a chance to learn more about the university’s foreign language department

HISTORY, LINGUISTICS - A historian and a linguist have received National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH) awards, a prestigious honor that goes to only 16% of applicants in a given year. The grants were awarded to Gabriela Pérez Báez, associate professor of linguistics and director of the Language Revitalization Lab, and Arafaat Valiani, an associate professor in the Department of History and affiliated faculty in the Global Health program.

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE, SPANISH - Leah Middlebrook, associate professor of comparative literature and Spanish for the College of Arts and Sciences, has been appointed as the new director of the Oregon Humanities Center. Her new position starts July 1, 2024. Middlebrook brings a rich humanities background to the position and she said the position is an honor she takes seriously.

COMPUTER SCIENCE, DATA SCIENCE, PHILOSOPHY - Artificial intelligence can detect art forgeries and take scientific research in new directions. But its impact on the classroom raises as many questions as answers. Can AI help students learn what they need to succeed in a rapidly changing workplace—and at what cost? Read more in CAS Connection!

Faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences were among the 15 University of Oregon scholars to receive award money from the Faculty Research Awards, provided by the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation.

CREATIVE WRITING - Alum Ross West pens a climate fiction collection of 15 stories about complicated environmental issues through 15 timely and thought-provoking stories that explore how climate change affects everyone.

CINEMA STUDIES - Dive into the art of producing with a hands-on immersive experience through the University of Oregon’s “The Art of Producing” Visiting Filmmaker Series 2024 . Hear firsthand from the producer who brought “The Last of Us” to the screen, explore the craft of horror cinema and learn about a variety of possible careers in the film industry.

ENGLISH - After a long career centered around a fascination for 19th-century American literature, William (Bill) Rossi will soon receive a prestigious honor: the Thoreau Society Medal. As a diligent professor emeritus of English, Rossi’s dedication to understanding the works of Henry David Thoreau has left a mark on literary scholarship and the University of Oregon.

PHILOSOPHY - Cintia Martínez Velasco, an assistant professor of philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences, appears on an episode of UO Today, a production by the Oregon Humanities Center. Her research and teaching interests include feminist philosophy, gender theory, decolonial philosophy, and critical theory in Latin America.

THEATRE ARTS - A new set of lights at the University Theatre provides students with opportunities to work with the latest technology that is used in professional theaters. It's just one of many experiential learning opportunities that theatre students have at the College of Arts and Sciences.

CINEMA STUDIES, THEATRE ARTS - Built in the late 1800s, University and Villard halls haven't been state-of-the-art in a long time. But $68 million interior and exterior construction work is bringing new life to the two iconic University of Oregon buildings, which will host new facilities for the cinema studies and theatre arts departments.

THEATRE ARTS - Costumes are an essential element in transporting audiences to a whole new world. The Department of Theater Arts in the College of Arts and Sciences provides experiential learning opportunities for students, teaching them industry standards in costuming, to prepare them for internships and careers in the theatre world. Read more about Grigorii Malakhov and Annika McNair and their time in the Costume Shop in the new issue of CAS Connection.